Digital imaging devices are becoming increasingly popular for still and video imaging operations. Numerous advancements for these devices have been made including increased resolutions and improved processing speeds. These digital cameras are used in an ever-increasing number of applications, and the popularity of these devices is expected to increase as the device capabilities increase and costs are reduced.
Some digital camera arrangements use a digital image sensor for exposing images and generating digital image data. For example, CMOS image sensors are available and include a plurality of pixel elements which may be read to generate digital image information. In one implementation, voltages of pixel locations of the CMOS image sensor may be read during sensing or image data generation operations. During exposure operations, received photos remove electrons from semi conductive wells of the image sensor corresponding to the pixel locations. The number of electrons remaining after exposure provide the sensed voltages which correspond to intensity information (i.e., pixel brightness) at the pixel locations. The voltage values may be provided to an analog-to-digital converter for conversion to digital information providing digital image data. The pixel locations may be reset following read operations. In one embodiment, the reset operations include recharging the semi conductive wells of the pixel locations. Other types of image sensors are available.
Digital imaging devices may use a hardware shutter to control exposure operations. These devices include the necessary actuators and other physical structures to implement mechanical motion of physical shutter operations resulting in devices of increased complexity. As described herein, improved methods and apparatus are described for obtaining digital image data in digital video applications.